


God has not completely forsaken us

by bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb



Series: Pyro, the man who creates legends [2]
Category: Video Blogging RPF
Genre: AND I PROBABLY WON'T FOLLOW THROUGH!, Alternate Universe - Hunger Games Setting, BUT IF I DO I'M GONNA GIVE IT MY BEST SHOT, Complicated politics, Gen, MY IDEAS FOR THIS ARE VERY AMBITIOUS, Monarchy, b/c its a dystopia, buckle up!, cloning, essentially there are other countries in the dystopian future in this mcdonalds, i kinda need sleep, okay i'll stop screaming, pyro is best uncle, shippers don't interact
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-30
Updated: 2020-06-25
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:54:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,585
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24448441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb/pseuds/bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb
Summary: Discontinued.We are not alone.Others exist.They are just hidden.Soon they will be revealed.
Relationships: None, absolutely no shipping of real people
Series: Pyro, the man who creates legends [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1757236
Comments: 30
Kudos: 40





	1. The wolf is not wearing a sheep's clothes

**Author's Note:**

"So, where are you going?"

Pyro sighed.

"Tommy, you're not gonna get an answer just by asking over and over."

Tommy pouted from atop Pyro's dresser, bouncing his legs off it absently. In that moment, he looks as young as he did when Pyro first met him.

And just as annoying.

"Come on, tell me, tell me, tell me, tel-"

Pyro's stylist, Colossal cut him off and pointed a finger at the door. "Tommy. Out!"

"Seriously?" The boy cried.

"Yes, you are ruining my creative process!" Colossal snapped.

At the look from Pyro, Tommy jumped down from the dresser. 

"Fine," Tommy rolls his eyes and pauses at the door. "Have fun, Colossal the Fossil!"

Tommy darts out the door and Colossal shakes the hairdryer at him. "You say that shit again and I'll beat your ass!"

Pyro snorts into his hand and Colossal spins around.

"And you-"

"What did I do?" Pyro said.

"You are not sitting still." Colossal moved back in to dry his hair. "You are like a twitching rabbit."

As Colossal does his makeup and berates Pyro for not following a skincare routine, Pyro reminisces about how lucky he was to get Colossal as a stylist after his old one was fired. Colossal then jabbed Pyro in the eye.

"Fuck! Why the fuck would you do that, you fucking shithead shitbag!"

"Because you weren't paying attention, fuckass!" Colossal says and continues to apply light makeup.

Once Colossal proclaims him "good enough", Pyro heads out and waits by the elevator.

Tommy continues to bother Pyro at the elevator and Josh soon joins them. At Josh's request, Tommy runs off to see if Michael has a GPS tracker. Pyro is only half-sure they're joking.

"Will you tell me this year?"

Pyro shakes his head.

"Dude, we've lived together for 15 years."

Pyro quiets for a moment. "I'll tell you as soon as I can. But I can't tell you, not right now."

Josh huffs. "Yeah, that's always the excuse with you."

Before the incident, Pyro would have fired back. But now he's just tired, so he only says, "Okay Josh."

The elevator comes just as Tommy comes back with the bad news that Michael does not have a working GPS. Pyro ruffles the boy's hair and tells him to remember his bedtime of 10 pm.

Tommy play-swings at Pyro, who dodges. He tells Josh that he'll be back the next morning and turns to leave.

_ Don't make the same mistake that you did with your father. _

"Love you, guys!" Pyro yells as the door starts to close.

Tommy is used to this and yells it back. But Josh has an incredulous look on his face and is frozen to the spot.

Pyro had only said it to Josh a few dozen times, as opposed to the hundreds with Tommy and others. And most of the times that Pyro had said it was during Josh's first year.

Pyro sits in the back of the limo with four Peacekeepers. When he asked why Smii7y wasn't there, he was met with a resounding silence.

When he had started presenting, he had been let into a world of secrets. A secret that would hopefully be unveiled soon.

_ There were others. _

Pyro steps out of the limo at the Allegiance Ball. 

His smile is a deadly wolfish thing, a beast let out of its cage.

~~_ The sheep always think that they are the only flock until they meet the goats. The shepherd and the goat-herder have a common bond; a hate of the wolves and a love for the dog. _ ~~


	2. It's showtime!

Pyro waits in the lobby for the elevator. 

It’s done up to look as sleek and sophisticated and modern as it can be. The security guard is a holographic projection and it explodes into particles of multicolor light when Pyro shows his invitation card. The card itself is also a flashy wasteful thing. It’s plated with onyx and the letters in every word are outlined with gold. The letters themselves are written with mini-screens that display each guest's face.

And Pyro's not even one of the guests that the Capitol wants to impress.

_They still want to show off. Show why you should be on their side, why the Capitol reigns supreme._

The elevator opens with a soft _ding!_ Pyro steps into the elevator and waves goodbye to the Peacekeepers.

There's more security where he's going but he always values the time where he can be truly alone. So he savors his precious time.

He rests his head against the wall of the elevator and closes his eyes. The wall is cool against his forehead.

And he lets himself _feel._

First comes the rage. It thunders in his head and boils his blood. He curls his hands into fists and his nails bite into his skin.

Then the sadness. He feels ice-cold pins and needles start near his heart and expand outward. He feels pressure in his forehead as he holds back his tears. He presses the back of his hand to his mouth as he inhales sharply.

He gives himself a few more seconds before he composes himself. He does double finger guns at his reflection in the doors and puts on a smile that's only half fake.

_It's showtime!_

When the doors open, Pyro is, as always, startled by how empty the room is and by how few cameras there are. There are only 200 people here, still a crowd but a blessed break from the Capitol.

"Pyrocynical, Victor of the 50th Hunger Games and current Presenter of the Hunger Games!"

Pyrocynical is swamped for a few minutes before the crowd eventually disperses. To the Senator's and Ambassadors, he is a familiar face. To the others, Pyro is a celebrity guest and living proof that the Games work.

But they know that he's not here to entertain them or to be much more than a lapdog. He doesn't have a lot of power here. At least that's what they think.

The President and the Senators and the Ambassadors all think that Pyro has no control over any of this. After all, it's politics with countries that the public doesn't think still exist. Pyro can't do much because he doesn't know any more than the Capitol lets him know.

But Pyro does have power here. And it's because he's the designated babysitter.

Politicians arrive with their children from far-off lands and have nowhere to put their children when they talk shop. That's where Pyro comes in.

He isn't a political figure, so the kids and the adults feel comfortable around him. Because he's a Presenter, he's also a perfect figure for the kids to practice talking to. And because he's a Victor, he is both a bodyguard and a display of the Capitol's power.

When Pyro is finally left by himself, it's only for a few seconds before-

"Uncle Pyro!" A small body slams into his side and he staggers back from the impact. The youngest of his charges has arrived.

"Hey kid, how's it hanging?"

The young girl steps back and smiles up at him. She is a foot shorter than him and she radiates childhood innocence.

King Ani wears a crown that is made out of titanium and platinum. She sports a pale pink dress and a pair of white boots. She has black bands around her upper arm that has her kingdoms insignia engraved in it.

Her bodyguard runs up to them. 

"Ani, please stop running off." The man practically begs. He is wearing a black suit and a pink tie. He also sports his kingdom's insignia as a pin on his lapel.

The girl waves him off. "The guy I was talking to was boring!"

"The agricultural leader of Panem was boring?"

"Yeah, total snoozefest! Diesel, you can't tell me that he was interesting!"

At that moment, Pyro is reminded of just how _young_ she was. Ani had only turned 13 a month prior.

Sometimes it was easy to forget that she was a ruler. Then he would think back to her coronation and what happened the day after.

Ani had had a lot of people who rejected her as their ruler. It was because of a 'rumor' that had spread. The rumor was sparked because of her striking resemblance to the dead queen.

Ani's country was known for its livestock production. An industry that was greatly supported by another field of science in her country. Cloning.

The 'rumor' was that Ani was a clone of the dead queen.

It wasn't actually a rumor. Pyro knew this to be true because Alex had known a clone. The clone had been smart enough to not share much of her past. All Alex knew was that she was arrested for crimes against Panem and had been re-captured.

And when Ani was 11 the queen had died. The queen had been ill for a while, which was probably why she had clones. And Ani was then technically next in line for the throne.

Pyro was shaken out of his reminiscing when another one of his kids came up to him.

"Pyro, you have to hide me from Steph. She keeps trying to talk to me!" The kid said with wide eyes. Ryan, or Trahan as he liked to be called, didn't wait for an answer and ducked behind Pyro.

Trahan, what a great name. Pyro could imagine the kids tagline. _Trahan, more like Tryhard! He is so tenacious isn't he?_

Pyro shakes his head. _What's wrong with me? I see a kid free from the Games and yet I still try to subject him to it._

A woman dressed as a deer breezed past them, and Trahan stepped out from behind Pyro as soon as they could no longer see her.

"Thank fuck she's gone. Kept trying to talk to me about politics and shit." The 14-year-old shook his head in disgust. He's wearing a vest and a tie and clearly does not enjoy them, as he has his vest unbuttoned and he keeps tugging on his tie.

"Well, kid, this area can be a politics-free zone if you want."

"Really?" Relief shone on Trahan's face, clear as day, and Pyro is saddened by the fact that Trahan will have to unlearn being open with his reactions.

"Ohhh, I would love that!" Ani chimes in and Diesel lets out a sigh.

"I'll let your advisors and the ambassador know." Diesel pulls out his phone and sends out a text.

Trahan smiles at the younger girl.

"King Ani," he says in a snobby voice and bows as low as possible.

She giggles and curtsies. "Esteemed Council member Danny Gonzalez's son, Ryan Trahan Gonzalez."

They both fall into giggles and Pyro smiles. In moments like this, he feels complete.

Then someone coughs behind his shoulder and Pyro almost jumps out of his skin.

But it's just his friend Dolan, who's wearing a goose mask. He honks absently at Pyro and gestures toward a crowd of people near the Senator for District 10.

Pyro nods.

"Children, I gotta take a piss and grab a snack. Behave and try not to set things on fire."

He walks as casually as possible away from them and Dolan branches off.

Pyro pauses near the crowd. He hovers over the food table and listens.

He hears Kappa Kaiju, the son of a general, responds to the Senator.

"What do we do when we have rebellion brewing?" He makes a fist. "We crush them underneath our boots like the bugs that they are."

Pyro leaves.

When he comes back to his group, another one of his charges has joined.

"Ahh, Lord Dank, so glad that you could join us." He claps a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"It's actually Duke Dank now, Pyro." The boy pushes his long hair out of his eyes. "They've upgraded me."

He smiles now. "But you can still call me Henry. Or Bluesdank."

"Think I'll stick with Henry. Congrats on being made Duke, though."

"Yeah, congrats Henry!" Ani chimed in.

Diesel and Trahan were quick to also voice their congratulations.

That's almost all of his kids that are in attendance. Just one more and-

"Why is it so fucking cold in your country? Do you not have fire?" Kappa stands next to Pyro and he doesn't look like a man that was talking about killing protesters minutes before. He looks like a tired 17-year-old, wearing a large coat.

"What do you mean cold? It's so warm here!" Ani cries and Pyro soon finds himself trapped in an argument about whether Panem is hot or cold. 

Ani, Diesel, and Bluesdank take the position that Panem is warm, while Kappa and Trahan argue that Panem is cold. When Pyro tries to bring up that it feels different to each of them based on the climate of their own countries, he receives a glare from all of them. It's severe enough that he excuses himself from the conversation.

And besides, he has some other business to attend to.

He spots her from across the ballroom. He fucking hates having to do this. It makes her uncomfortable, and he fucking hates it.

But she's understanding and she keeps forgiving him. It's awful.

Her hair is a beautiful pink and it compliments her powder blue dress. Her skin is glittered and there is powder to make her skin look paler. She is wearing jewelry made of crystals, diamonds, and silver.

She's done up to look like an ice princess.

Pyro is dressed like burning embers.

They make quite a pair, as they always do.

She's surrounded by the few reporters that are allowed there.

"Belle Delphine, may I have this dance?"

She turns and smiles. "Of course you may, Pyro!"

He links arms with her and they make their way to the dance floor.

They're swaying to the third slow song that they've danced together when Pyro voices his thoughts.

"I'm sorry about all of this, Belle. I really am." He pauses and looks away. "I know this shit makes you uncomfortable."

"It's okay, Niall." She smiles up at him and he can't tell if she's lying to him. "The fact that you are acknowledging this and apologizing for it makes it easier to deal with."

She looks from side to side. "And all of it's manageable until they try to get you to propose. That's where I draw the line."

Someone dances too close to them and Pyro kisses her forehead. He closes his eyes and presses their foreheads together and he whispers 'I'm sorry' over and over.

~~_The night is only halfway done, and yet you beg for the dawn. Don't you know that monsters die when the sun comes up?_ ~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> its completly unrealistic that america is the only country left in the dystopian future so I present to you other countries!!! hope that yall enjoy!! stay safe and remember BLM!!!


	3. Outfox or outfire?

He finishes dancing with Belle and heads back to his charges.

Ani makes kissy faces at Pyro and cackles with glee when he fake swipes at her for it.

Diesel ushers her off after a few minutes, citing the fact that Ani needed to do her job and talk to people.

"Now we're just chilling with the boys," Kappa says and Bluedank nods solemnly.

Trahan is now holding a small stack of cookies and he holds one out to Pyro, who takes it gratefully.

"Thought Kwebbelkop was going to be here," Kappa says.

"He is," Bluesdank says. "He's just talking to a bunch of people about something."

Pyro's ears perk up.

"About what?" Trahan asks.

Bluesdank shrugs. "I dunno, he seemed stressed about it."

Kappa nodded. "I heard that something big was gonna happen tonight."

_Oh shit._

_Not fucking again._

But he can't do anything to stop it.

Trahan's eyes start drooping within the next hour and Pyro passes him off to his parents.

They thank him and he brushes it off, saying it's nothing because it is.

Bluesdank wanders off after a while and then it's just him and Kappa left.

He makes mindless conversation with the boy.

Kappa seems content to ramble about some awful game and as he pushes up his glasses, Pyro spots the crest on his family ring. He remembers the first time he saw it.

_He was in his games and was examining the parachute that had brought him some gauze. On the bottom of the container, there was a crest engraved in the metal._

_It was not one of his sponsor's logos. He wondered about it for years. And then he became a presenter._

_Kappa had been a scrawny 11-year-old, soldier coat too big for his body._

_But something in his eyes shined too sharply._

_And then he met the kid's father._

_And Kappa's father mentions watching Pyro's Games back with Kappa and Kappa smiles at him, too sharp with a top tooth missing._

But Kappa's just like the rest of them. A product of his upbringing, and no space to change.

A bell rings and the pair quiets in eerie unison.

Silence sounds out across the room and it is as loud as the cannon at the Games.

There is a podium at the front of the room and three men walk up to the mic. Behind them trails another man, and Pyro recognizes him by his hat.

It's Kwebbelkop.

Pyro makes his way to the front. Belle makes her way and stands next to him.

"Do you know anything about this?" He whispers.

"A little," she says. "But you know how this all is." She makes a small sweeping gesture with her hand.

The man in front of the mic clears his throat.

He holds golden cue cards and Pyro's throat constricts.

_Fuck those cue cards._

No doubt he will see them in Hell as he burns for eternity.

"As you all know, Panem has long left its citizens in the dark about the rest of the world. This was not done out of malice or spite, but done to shield our citizens from themselves because they simply couldn't handle it."

The room is quiet and tension coils like a python around them all.

They are just prey in its grasp.

"But now our citizens are strong enough to know about all of you and all that you have done for the nation of Panem!"

The crowd cheers and Pyro feels like he will fall, feels like the mountain that he has dug his fox holes in is crumbling around him.

"We have tried this before, unsuccessfully." Here the man nods to Belle.

Her face goes red and she looks down.

_Are they trying to pin that on her? Are they kidding themselves?_

Pyro is fuming.

Both him and Belle had told the directors that it was too big, too much. Dolan had sided with them but he was outvoted.

And then it failed, as they predicted. Too much attention, too fast.

_Not her fault._

"Oh, fuck you," He hears a voice call from his right.

Its Mxmtoon.

She is gleaming under the lights. She has always been presented as otherworldly, high above all others, she who was born in the cold abyss in space and lived. Silver is set in her skin, and as she tightens her hands into fists, the flesh around the metal stretches into a tight, strained white.

It does not come as a surprise when the speaker stumbles over his words. Mxmtoon is like Minx, beautiful in her rage and ethereal in her peace.

"We have been having great success with Kwebbelkop, here!" 

A wide smile from Kwebbelkop, Wilbur's new friend.

_Poor Wilbur. Forced to play a role he doesn't know the lines to._

"We are planning to have unveiled other countries by Twitchcon and if all goes well, we will see some of you there!"

_Oh, fuck_.

He goes home, dread in his heart. He arrives at four

Josh is the only one awake, and even he has bedhead.

"Whas happen at the thing?" Josh mumbles.

Pyro shakes his head. "No clue, but some shit went down."

Josh nods. He's trying to stay awake but it's not working, because his eyes keep falling shut and he lists to one side.

"Go to bed, fuckass," Pyro nudges Josh as the tired boy leans on him.

"'M not tired," Josh says and yawns immediately after he says it.

"You aren't gonna give up on it, are ya?" Pyro smiles at Josh and it's like when he put his siblings to bed when they insisted that they weren't tired, but they all fell asleep before he could climb into their shared bed.

Pyro guides Josh to the younger man's bed.

He takes a quick shower, changes into his pajamas, and lays down next to Josh.

And it's like their first year stuck together when Josh had trouble expressing how he felt, and when Pyro had been desperate for family and Josh had been scared and Pyro protects his family, like always. And it's like being back home when the winters got too cold and Niall would move the mattress and blankets into the living room and his whole family would huddle together. And Niall would be blocking the wind, with the thinnest blanket, because family first. His blood ran hot anyway.

He sleeps over the covers, so if need be, he could shield Josh quickly.

~~_He is wrapped in iron chains. For years, they have held. But there is a burning fire in his heart, fueled by his anger and the ashes of the fallen. And the iron is softened and melting. And soon the link will snap. And the chain will break. And the rabid fox will be released._ ~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always hope yall enjoyed and stay safe!!

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [There is an Architect Too](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25916875) by Anonymous 




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